Luggage cases, and particularly those of the so-called attache case variety for containing business papers and the like, desirably include means for maintaining the case parts in open or fixed angular relationship to each other so that the contents may be removed or materials placed into the case without the inconvenience of having the case parts close on one another. In the past, this has most often been accomplished by braces or knee-action stays located at one or both sides of the case, which not only take up space, but on closing of the case can pinch fingers of the user, or tear or crease papers contained therein.
Also, in a usual form for such braces, stops or catches are provided which when engaged hold the case parts at some maximum open position, but if the parts are located at some lesser angular relation the case lid is relatively unsupported and can fall into the closed position with obvious undesirable effects.
Still further, such braces can, if the case becomes overloaded or the contents shift to one side or the other, on closing become broken or distorted to the point that they are inoperable.